All animal and plant cells have a highly regulated cell suicide program designed to limit the damage done to one cell or a group of cells from affecting the entire organism. This is why cells die after radiation damage from sunburn, for example; otherwise, the radiation damage would result in mutations that might result in cancers, or in skin tissue with greatly aged appearance and performance. This suicide program is tightly controlled in all organisms, and it requires a combination of factors to come together to trigger the cell death program. Once initiated, it is irreversible.
Some pathogens have evolved mechanisms to avoid triggering cell death programs, thus circumventing an important plant defense. A solution for regaining control of cell death defense mechanisms is needed to address the emergence and proliferation of and/or damages caused by these pathogens.